New URLA Release Notes
Introducing the New URLA
(Updated on 4/16/2020)
2020 URLA Forms and Features in Encompass, Encompass Consumer Connect, and Additional Products
The Encompass 19.3 Major Release includes support for a redesigned version of the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), also known as the Fannie Mae 1003 or the Freddie Mac Form 65, which was originally scheduled to replace the 2009 version of the URLA effective February 1, 2020. At the direction of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the government-sponsored enterprises or GSEs) are communicating that the optional use period for the redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) form and corresponding datasets will begin on August 1, 2020. At that time, aggregators, software partners, and lenders will have controlled access to the DU/DUG/EarlyCheck and GUI production environments upon validation of prerequisites. On January 1, 2021, lenders may submit loans that use the redesigned URLA to the DU production environment. Lenders must use the redesigned Form 1003 and DU specifications for all new loan applications received on or after March 1, 2021. The initial URLA features and forms provided in Encompass 19.3 and 19.4 should be used exclusively for preparation. For the January 1, 2021 date when lenders may submit loans that use the redesigned URLA to the DU production environment, you will need to update to Encompass 20.1 or later to fully integrate with the final URLA changes, including the most updated version of data collection, defect fixes, feedback from customers, and new AUS specifications.
New input forms and fields have been added to Encompass and existing input forms have been updated to accommodate the changes required to generate the revised URLA. The new URLA features are available in 19.3 and are recommended for use in test environments. Your company’s operations and delivery teams can control the rollout of the new URLA features per your investor guidelines and can control the Encompass users with access to the new URLA features. Existing loans in your Encompass Pipeline are not affected and maintain their current URLA data format unless your company purposefully converts existing loans to the new URLA data format. A new Persona option (Change URLA Form Version) has been added as well. Administrators are recommended to review the new Persona option and ensure it is only enabled for staff performing initial URLA pilot testing in the appropriate environment.
Information about all of the new URLA forms and features being introduced in Encompass* have been consolidated into this single, convenient release notes location. In addition, all of the new URLA forms and features in Encompass Consumer Connect, Encompass TPO Connect, and other products will also be provided in these release notes soon for your convenience. All of the items documented here also remain available within the applicable Encompass release notes, Encompass Consumer Connect release notes , and Encompass TPO Connect release notes provided with each product release and services update.
Refer to this Encompass Help site for additional information and related documents.
* Starting with the Encompass 19.3 Major Release scheduled for release in July 2019.
Visit the URLA Support page for helpful resources about the new URLA changes going into effect on January 1, 2021 including field reference guides, webinars, and instruction guides.
